Sometimes when Android apps ask for permission, it can be a little scary and daunting if you’re not familiar with why they are asking for it. For example if a calculator app you downloaded asked for permissions to access your messages and photos, it doesn’t make sense and sounds downright suspicious, doesn’t it?
Before biometric security features were used for our smartphones, most phones relied on security features like a passcode, or in the case of Android, a pattern unlock feature. It also presented certain legal conundrums as to whether or not suspects could be forced by the police to unlock their devices (no, they can’t).
For those who are unfamiliar, Xiaomi actually makes a lot more things than just phones, which the company is probably best known for. In fact Xiaomi actually makes a fair number of smart home products such as smart lighting systems and even security cameras, the latter of which was announced at CES 2019 in the form of the Yi Home Camera 3.
As many are aware, the government is currently in shutdown mode. This has resulted in several government agencies putting their work on hold, such as the FCC which has affected certain ongoing transactions, like the T-Mobile and Sprint merger review. However it seems that is not all that the shutdown has affected.
Avoiding malware on our smartphones and computers is pretty easy: just don’t install apps or visit suspicious sounding and looking websites. Granted this isn’t a guarantee that you can’t get infected, but usually practicing such habits can help. Unfortunately for owners of certain Alcatel handsets, their phones actually came with malware preinstalled.
If you’re the owner of either the LG G5 or LG V20, it might be time to start considering upgrading your phones to a newer model. This is because according to LG’s Security Bulletin (via XDA), it appears that both the LG G5 and LG V20 are no longer listed on the page. This means that neither handset will be receiving future Android security updates.
#CES2019 – If one of your concerns about putting together a smartphone is potentially having to rewire and reinstall everything, Ring could help put your mind at ease with its latest Door View Cam smart doorbell. This is because the Door View Cam’s installation is pretty easy and does not require any wires.
For those who aren’t a fan of the iPhone’s notch, the bad news is that you might have to wait a while before the notch design is phased out. This is because rumors are claiming that it could stick around until 2020 at the very least. However it seems that there is a glimmer of hope that the notch design could eventually go the way of the dinosaur.
#CES2019 – There are plenty of HomeKit compatible devices in the market today, but yet one category that is oddly missing would be the smart doorbell category. Earlier this month it was reported that a company called Robin Telecom could launch the first HomeKit compatible smart doorbell, but it appears that Netamo might have beatne them to the punch.
Last year it was reported that the Marriott Starwood database had been breached by hackers, where it was initially estimated that about 500 million guests had their details exposed. However in an update provided by Marriott, it seems that the actual number of guests affected might be smaller than they thought.
Phishing scams are actually rather common, although for the most part if you use email services like Gmail, Google’s spam filter does a pretty good job at filtering them out. However not all phishing scams come via email, some are sent via text message, and in this particular case, was made via a phone call.